When I received my Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy designation from the American College of Financial Services I was awarded a nice certificate to frame and hang in my office and a gold lapel pin. The pin did not boldly proclaim “CAP” or “The American College”, it was simply a heart resting in the palm of a hand. Anyone working with donors and nonprofit organizations understands that fundraising requires a blend of knowing not only the mechanics of giving but the heart behind it.
East Texas Communities Foundation works diligently to listen to the heart of our donors and help them craft a giving plan to meet their objectives. We tend to work very closely with professionals on the mechanics of giving. We work with accountants to help donors maximize their charitable giving and minimize their taxes. We work with investment advisors to manage portfolios and make wise gifts of appreciated securities to maximize charitable giving, and we work with estate planning attorneys to simplify lifetime and testamentary giving. All of that activity can focus heavily on the technical aspects of philanthropy and, if we are not careful, can leave out the heart behind the giving.
Some years ago at a strategic planning meeting, our board was reviewing our work and our mission statement, when Marilyn Abegg-Glass asked the question, “Why? Where is the “why” in our mission statement? Why do we do these things?” Our mission statement at the time was “East Texas Communities Foundation supports philanthropy by providing simple ways for donors to achieve their long-term charitable goals.” It was a good mission statement that explains “what” we do, but it was lacking the “why”. With Marilyn’s observation and suggestion, the mission statement was revised to start with our “why”. “Philanthropy builds communities and changes lives.” We still “support philanthropy by providing simple ways for donors to achieve their charitable goals.”, but we lead with our why, because philanthropy does build community and does change lives.
Our mission statement, our community and our lives have been forever impacted by the life of Marilyn Abegg-Glass. It was a pleasure having her on our board to help guide our organization, but it gives us even greater joy to see the impact she had on so many other people and nonprofit institutions in our community. Fundraising done well, as depicted on my CAP lapel pin, requires touching the heart of donors and guiding them through the process of making a gift that benefits others and brings them joy. Marilyn was great at fundraising.
Fundraising is not arm-twisting and coercion to guilt someone into reluctantly making a gift. Fundraising is knowing your mission and articulating that mission to attract donors. Fundraising is knowing the personal values, life experiences and charitable objectives of donors and helping match them with programs and organizations that share those values. It’s working with people who care and impacting causes that matter.
As I think about Marilyn’s impact on our community I’m drawn to Proverbs 1:5 “Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance.” Marilyn provided wisdom and counsel to so many organizations. She was a professional fundraiser and helped many clients reach their goals, but she also shared her wisdom with other fundraisers. She was an integral and charter member of the local chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and graciously taught the members of that organization on a variety of fundraising topics. She was always happy to present at fundraising conferences and at education programs hosted throughout the region by ETCF. We will never really know the full impact of her influence on fundraising in East Texas because she shared her wisdom so freely it simply cannot be measured. Maybe you knew Marilyn as she lived her life and influenced others in Corpus Christi, Kingsville, Nacogdoches or Tyler. But perhaps you did not have the chance to meet her or receive any of her fundraising wisdom. Just know that fundraising is not just asking for money, but building relationships that form the fabric of our community. Marilyn was a master weaver and she will be missed. I am one of the lucky ones who are left behind to cherish her memory and follow her instructions. Perhaps following Marilyn’s example of building relationships and weaving the fabric of generosity in our community is your next best opportunity to Give Well
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